The desire to provide home television viewers and listeners with the ability to view video and listen to audio on-demand has existed for some time. In recent years, the introduction of high capacity data networks and improved video and audio compression techniques has made the availability of audio and video content on-demand possible.
For example, high capacity packet or circuit switched networks may be used to carry digital video or audio streams for delivery to suitable viewer or listener appliances. The public internet, private packet switched networks, ATM networks, and broadband ISDN networks have all been suggested as appropriate delivery networks for content on-demand. Complementary viewer or listener equipment located at the customer premises may be addressed over such networks to receive and present the content. Example equipment includes internet appliances, intelligent set-top television boxes, or personal computers with appropriate software. Characteristically, these appliance may typically be uniquely addressed over the delivery network; decode and present the video or audio stream; and permit two-way communication over the delivery network to place on-demand orders and control the playing of the content on-demand.
Existing cable television network operators are also well positioned to provide content on-demand over existing networks. As such, cable television networks have been gradually updated, and continue to be updated, to allow provision of digital content, pay-per-view programming, two-way data access, and ultimately content on-demand. Existing cable subscribers expect these services to be delivered by the cable network operators over the medium with which they are familiar. Moreover, cable network operators have access to content, and experience in providing pay-per-view content.
Cable network operators are also uniquely affected by the constant need to upgrade customer premises equipment. Many subscribers have only recently upgraded set-top-boxes to obtain digital content and enhanced pay-per-view offerings. New features and improvements in user interfaces drive an incessant desire to upgrade these boxes.
Providing content on-demand typically requires additional upgrades. Unlike other customer premises equipment, cable network set-top boxes are typically owned by the cable network and not by subscribers. Upgrading these is therefore costly to the network operator, and even more costly if customer premises equipment for all subscribers is upgraded. Subscribers, on the other hand, often find the need to constantly upgrade as intrusive and bothersome. Allowing subscribers to upgrade equipment only as content on-demand is requested, on the other hand, is more cost efficient but prevents the content from being provided to many subscribers—subscribers who do not have the necessary upgrade simply do not have access to the content. Even subscribers who want the new content may not believe it warrants the effort of an upgrade.
Some existing cable set-top boxes address this dilemma by permitting software upgrades that may be initiated by the network operator, and provided to subscribers transparently over the existing cable network. These upgrades allow set-top boxes to support new features and services. Unfortunately, existing hardware often limits the type of scope of the upgrades. The amount of memory, processor speed, and chipset functionality at existing set-top boxes, for example, limit the types of upgrades that are possible. Provision of content on-demand, for example, often requires sophisticated interface software, or hardware upgrades providing, for example, additional remote control functions, two-way data access and the ability to present and navigate extensive lists of available content.
Accordingly, there is a clearly a need to allow existing cable television subscriber and other customers access to content on-demand, while reducing the need to upgrade existing customer premises equipment.